1. The role of Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being
Dr. Viktoras Meižis, Head of the Foreign Affairs Division, Ministry of Health, Lithuania
International Conference on “Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles, Work Ability & Social Inclusion” St. Petersburg, Russia, 11 – 12 December 2007

2. Northern Dimension Geographical Area Priority Sectors
A new opening from begining of 2007
Four partners: EU, Iceland, Norway and Russia
Economic Cooperation
Freedom, Security and Justice
External Security, Civil Protection
Research, Education and Culture
Environment, Nuclear Safety and Natural Resources
Social Wellfare and Health Care
NDPHS
The ND area ranges from the European Arctic and Sub-Arctic to the southern shores of the Baltic Sea encompassing the countries in its vicinity, as well as the North West Russia in the East to Iceland and Greenland in the West

3. Northern Dimension Priority Sectors
Objectives (Oslo Declaration of 27 October 2003 establishing the NDPHS)
A new opening from begining of 2007
Four partners: EU, Iceland, Norway and Russia
Economic Cooperation
Promote sustainable development in the ND area by improving people’s health and social well-being
Freedom, Security and Justice
Contribute to intensified co-operation in social and health
development
External Security, Civil Protection
Research, Education and Culture
Assist Partners and Participants in improving their capacity to set priorities in health and social well-being
Environment, Nuclear Safety and Natural Resources
Enhance co-ordination of international activities within the ND area
NDPHS
Social Wellfare and Health Care

4. Objectives (Oslo Declaration of 27 October 2003 establishing the NDPHS)
Promote sustainable development in the ND area by improving people’s health and social well-being
Contribute to intensified co-operation in social and health
development
Assist Partners and Participants in improving their capacity to set priorities in health and social well-being
Enhance co-ordination of international activities within the ND area
Partner Countries
Structure
Canada
Iceland
Denmark
Latvia
Lithuania
Estonia
Norway
Finland
Poland
France
Germany (associated)
Russia
Sweden

5. Partner Organisations
Structure
Partner Countries
Partner Organisations
BEAC
IOM
Iceland
France
Finland
Estonia
Denmark
Canada
Lithuania
Norway
Poland
Russia
Sweden
Germany (associated)
Latvia
CBSS
NCM EC
UNAIDS
WHO
ILO
BSSSC

6. STRUCTURE PAC Secretariat CSR ITA ITA ITA ITA AIDS PHC SIHLWA PH
Alcohol
Children
OHS

7. Priorities
Reduction of major communicable diseases and prevention of lifestyle related non-communicable diseases
Including HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, the use of illicit drugs, cardiovascular diseases and the consequences of socially distressing conditions
Enhancement and promotion of healthy and socially rewarding lifestyles
Including determinants of health and social well-being, such as sexual behaviour, alcohol consumption, smoking, the use of illicit drugs, peoples’ social and work environments and social skills

8. Implementation Annual work plans Areas of action
(Expert Group work plans and Partnership work plans, that build on them)
Objectives and targets
Action lines (incl. financing)
Evaluation
Reporting
Areas of action
Encourage coordinated development of projects, e.g. the EU co-sponsored NDPHS Database project
Implement and appraise projects
Monitor and assess situation in the region
Develop policy recommendations
Disseminate information and reach out to & involve relevant stakeholders

9. Examples of achievements so far - 2007 (1)
Stronger involvement of the Russian Federation
(From 2006) Russia strongly involved in CSR and PAC. The new ND policy has increased her engagements even further, especially as regards the Expert Group level.The last CSR meeting was held in the Kaliningrad. Russia has assumed the position of the NDPHS Co-Chair
Increased engagement of the European Commission
The EC has actively re-engaged in the NDPHS activities. It participates in CSR meetings, cooperates closely with the NDPHS Secretariat and has become involved at the Expert Group level. Next CSR mtg. will be held in Brussels
Support from the Nordic Council of Ministers
NCM has (part-time) seconded two staff members from its office in St. Petersburg. They will, i.a., help strengthen cooperation with and involvement of Russian stakeholders in the NDPHS activities

10. Examples of achievements in 2007 (2)
NDPHS Strategy Healthy Life – Healthy Work
First Strategy for the Norther Dimension Region on Health
Based on and reinforcing WHO, ILO and EU Strategies on Workers’ Health
Based on the Political Declaration on the Northern Dimension Policy and the Northern Dimension Framework Document
Recommendations included in the Strategy
Development of national (occupational) health programmes and policies
Concrete actions, such as health audits or identification of national top priorities
Information and experience sharing, etc.

11. Examples of achievements in 2007 (3)
NDPHS Database Project delivers concrete results
New NDPHS website: • front page news • e-newsletter • e-news • many documents and information materials • calendar of events • links to many external websites (
Database: • a unique single access point to and a repository of information and data on (i) ongoing and implemented projects, (ii) organisations and (iii) persons (project leaders, experts, etc) • offers a comprehensive overview of relevant projects in the ND area • multiple data sources: (i) relevant external databases (incl. those of NDPHS Partners), (ii) NDPHS Project Pipeline and (iii) manual input • a monitoring and coordinating tool • a pool for project ideas and information about organizations and persons working in the ND area
Project Pipeline: • a multi-donor on-line project funding coordination tool • designed to help in proceeding from a project idea through project application to project financing • a tool for donors to benefit from coordinated project appraising by the NDPHS Expert Groups

12. Examples of achievements in 2007 (4)
Partnership Annual Conference (PAC) at a ministerial level
Hosted by Lithuania as the culmination of its Chairmanship of the NDPHS
NDPHS Forum "Healthy Life - Healthy Work" organized before PAC
Progress Report for 2007 approved
Work Plan for 2008 adopted
Project Pipeline and the Database publically lunched. Finland offered to channel through the Pipeline EUR 1.5 million for projects in N-W Russia
NDPHS Strategy Healthy Life – Healthy Work adopted
Norway and the Russian Federation elected as the NDPHS Chair and Co-Chair, respectively

13. Future plans of the Partnership
An ambitious Work Plan for 2008 adopted by the PAC
NDPHS Database Project
Financing NDPHS’ and other parties’ undertakings
NDPHS Expert Groups work plans included
Ensuring coordination of regional efforts to fight trafficking in human beings
Engaging non-Partner Countries and Organizations
First NDPHS Expert Group Publications: Thematic Reports
Thematic reports on selected areas of health: a series of publications will be developed by the EGs in their areas of expertise, in which health and geographical areas will be further analysed resulting in a set of recommendations to national and international bodies

14. We have tool and opportunity to put this initative into practice

15. NDPHS – common project with common responsibility achieving tangible results
Thank you